The Lightning Scar Project
by Lea Witchie Bitchie
Summary: Muggles : even when Magic shows itself in the most obvious way, they prefer not to know. But, after the Battle of Hogwarts and the end of Voldemort in 1998, it was agreed by wizards worldwide that the story of that battle – and all the elements that had led to it – should be known by the Muggle kind.


Muggles : even when Magic shows itself in the most obvious way, they prefer not to know. But, after the Battle of Hogwarts and the end of Voldemort in 1998, it was agreed by wizards worldwide that the story of that battle – and all the elements that had led to it – should be known by the Muggle kind.

It was, however, not an easy thing to do. Most Muggles fear Magic; even though the most receptive of them know, deep inside, that Magic does indeed exist, they feel it is something completely out of their control and therefore prefer to act as though it didn't exist. It was decided that the story would be brought to Muggles in a way that would allow them to either consider it as a fictional story – but that would leave a strong, disturbing feeling of reality inside them –, or to take it for what it really was: real History.

The British ministry of magic was, of course, to carry out the task, since most of the events to be told had happened in Great Britain. Kingsley Shacklebolt (minister for magic from 1998 to present) and a special Team appointed for the matter (consisting of several members of the Order of the Phoenix and a few other witches and wizards) were now in charge of the task – the Lightning Scar Project.

The Team decided that the whole story would revolve around Harry Potter, who was, doubtlessly, the key character of the whole thing. There would be seven books, one for each school year Harry spent at Hogwarts (and outside of Hogwarts, for the seventh book). The reader would find out events and elements just like Harry did during these seven years, alongside him. That was, the Team thought, the best way to fulfil the requirements (make it seem like a story for the Muggles who didn't accept the existence of Magic, and give the liberty to believe it as real History to those who weren't too blind).

Now came the question of who would write the books. It was discussed whether it should be Hermione Granger: she was rather gifted with words, and, having been one of Harry's close friends all along, she knew the story perfectly well. She, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were brought in the discussion – they weren't in the Team: Hermione was studying at Hogwarts to pass her N.E. and Harry and Ron were too busy somewhere else. Hermione declined the offer: "I don't think I'd fit. Ron and I, we were too close to Harry to actually realize what was really going on." The Team didn't try to convince her any further, because they knew she was right: they needed someone who had been involved all along, without being too close to Harry. A contemporary Hogwarts student.

Minerva McGonagall, member of the Team, Hogwarts Headmistress and transfiguration teacher, said that she could think of one person who fulfilled the requirements. "She was sorted in my house in 1990, and passed her N.E. brilliantly in 1997. She's returned to Hogwarts for the Battle, so she's been there all the time Potter was at Hogwarts. And I can tell you, she's gifted, every transfiguration essay she gave me was a well-written small novel, I loved reading them. I think she works at the Daily Prophet now."

Joanne Rowling was called to the Ministry. Everything was explained to her. For one week, no one saw Kingsley, nor any member of the Team, nor Harry, Ron and Hermione, nor Joanne leave the Level One. For one week, they discussed of the books, of the story, and of Joanne's cover and security. She'd have to appear to be a Muggle at all times, probably during the rest of her life if the plan worked well. Of course, she'd be able to disappear from time to time in the wizarding world without it being noticed.

Joanne was 19; that seemed a bit too young to be taken seriously as an author in the Muggle world. She agreed to take a long-lasting Age potion which would make her look as if she was in her thirties.

Joanne took this job at heart. She wanted it to be perfect. She started by interviewing a large amount of the people who could bring their part to the story, from Harry and his closest friends to Elphias Doge, through Draco Malfoy and Madam Pomfrey. Some of them provided her with memories and McGonagall gave her the password of her office so she could have access to Dumbledore's pensieve whenever she needed to. She was also given loads of wizarding newspapers dating from 1980 to 1998. Madam Pince reluctantly gave her permanent access to the Hogwarts library's restricted section.

The Lightning Scar Project was officially launched. But there was still one thing Kingsley Shacklebolt wasn't entirely satisfied with: as things were, the non-believing and the believing Muggles wouldn't be completely differentiated, and there would surely be half-believing ones. He wanted to add something that would truly separate the Magical Muggles, as he liked to call them, from the rest. He had an idea: add an obstacle that would only need to be overlooked to be overstepped, and that only the truly believing Muggles would overlook. Once Joanne would've written the first book, they'd publish it in the Muggle world; but they'd make it look like it was published before the Battle of Hogwarts, before they decided to pass on the story. There was no need of a spell for this: Muggles believe what they're given to believe, if it doesn't present any danger to their safe little lives. It would separate two kinds: the Muggles that'd point that out, the non-believing, happy to have an argument to their theory, and the Muggles clever enough to overlook that, clever enough to understand that it was only a feint.


End file.
